Bramcote Children's Hospital

At the age of 4 in 1953 I went into this Hospital to have my Tonsils & Adenoids out. I was fetched by an ambulance from my home in Cambridge St. Hillfields travelling on my own on a Thursday & didn't get home until the Sunday. 3 days & nights at the age of 4, not understanding what was happening. No visitors & my parents didn't have a telephone at that time. Very different from how children are treated today in hospitals. I do remember the good things - jelly & ice cream & a TV in the ward for Children's Hour! It was only in the late 1970s when I discovered where Bramcote was after going to the Barracks there to the firing range.

That must have been terribly disconcerting for a four-year-old - I know at that age I'd have been terrified and very confused.

Hello, Bramcote remained a children's hospital until just before the millennium. As Rob has said, an awful experience for you & your family.

My late younger brother was admitted into Bramcote Hospital after what can only be described as a mental breakdown in the 60s, he was about 6 or 7 years old. I remember visiting him with my parents on fairly regular intervals, it seemed very isolated and a long way away from our home in Allesley Park. It seemed very odd to me that he was there and yet appeared perfectly well, he never spoke of his experiences throughout his time there. It wasn't until he died that his Bramcote Hospital school work books were discovered that contained a diary with entries of events and people and referenced his families visits. It made for rather sad reading.

Bramcote Hospital has long gone and there is now a small housing development on the site. There is also a small residential unit called Ashby House which is run by the NHS and provides high quality short breaks for adults with a learning disability.